Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-31

U
ORGANIZATION.
Admiral Porter in his annual report to the Sec
retary OF the Navy states that there are defects
IN the organization OF the Navy, well as in its
ships, and that the first thing required is proper
SET oi regulations, and he suggests that board OF
three or more officers, not below the grade OF cap
tain. be charged with the duty Of revising them.
He treats ut length OF the necessities Of special
tralnlng or the Officers OF the engineer corps, hold
ing that the duties OF engineer officer and Of
line oHlcer are entirely distinct from each other,
and lt would be much better for the navy for them
10 remain So for the attempt to combine these diff
lerent qualifications In one officer Will produce
nyDrd neither good line officer nor good engi-
neeL. Inc duties OF naval engineers are now or
of them. and every year adds to the quaiincations
necessary Tor the efficiency OF this class OF O1cera
IN THE NEW SYSTEM OF BUILDING VESSELS OF WAR
the responsibilities OF engineers have greatly In
creased 1t is no longer in the matter OF running
engines alone that they are called upon to show
Their efficiency. An engineer must now be able to
superintend the various details OF construction,
testing materials &C., and 1t is absolutely neces-
sary that the best combatant seaman of1cers
should BE- selected for the command OF the deck.
and the best theoretical and practical engineers
Ior tne management and care OF the engines. The
members OF a profession who are required to man.
age machinery OF the most Intricate Kind should
| nave the opportunity to receive training ade-
quate 10 thelr duties This can only be secured Dy
| course at the best schools Of technology, and
trtihing in machine shops In addition TO term OF
| Two years at the Naval Academy, supple
| Inented by course OF instruction abroad,
Engineers should superintend the construction OF
engines and manage them; CONSTRUCTORS should
| design and build SHIPS, and line officers sho.ld
| manage The vessels when they are ready for sea.
such an arrangement OF duties will be more apt
10 insure harmony" In the Navy than the plan
| WHICH Is now In operation. In relation 10
| COAST DEfENsES
Admiral Porter says that we are no better on to-
day In the matter Of ships OF war than we were In
July, 1883, when contracts were awarded for
building the Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, and Dol
pnln. Ihis was nearly four years ago, and none
| OF the above named vessels can yet be called
completed" which proves that 1t takes long
time TO build steel vessels OF war; and that II We
Wish 70 place the country IN state OF defense en-
more rapid system. We cannot, like England and
some other nations, depend much on the assist
have too few OF these TO rely on and such vessels
as we have In the coasting trade, with few excep-
| lions, have not the strength TO Undergo the wear
| and tear required OF ships OF war.
For tne iull protection OF the coast, he says
there should be three lines OF defenses: First the
outer line, combining the heaviest iron-clads
guns, and torpedo bOatS second, fortificatl0nS
on which The vessels can fall back In case OF re-
verse; third, an army TO meet the enemy in case
| he attempts landing, but without the first line
the second and third Will be OF very little use.
SQUADRON OF HEAVY ARxoR-CLADs.
| The first step toward the protection Of our
coasts, he urges, should be the construction OF
| squadron OF heavy armor-clads that could be
ready at weeks notice to anchor on our shores
| and resist an approaching enemy II defeated,
| this force could retire TO tn" protection OF the
forts, where. united, they would probably oIer
singly. ] call these defenses the great
line OF protection, which, II broken would render
| the attack OF an enemy no longer doubtful
The nrst element of success in this undertaking is
| the construction OF proper heet OF armor-cadS
While experimenting with fast cruisers, for,
|
selves alone, keep an enemys feet from our shores.
| San Francisco IS place that an enemy could
attack from outside the entr to the port Now,
here is our chief city on the Pacific coast, with a
population or quarter OF million. with 10 defense
at all worthy Of the name The circumstances OF her
| case require San Francisco 10 have the best
| equipped naval establishment in the country.
Four OF the heaviest arnor-cladS should be built
| and equi pped with the most approved ordnance
! for the defense OF the city.
The requirements Of New York, Boston and other
| ports are set forth in a similar manner.
| ENROLMENT OF sEAMEN.
| He holds that special law should be enacted
requiring the enrolment OF every mariner serving
| on board vessels OF the United States including
ocean steamers. vessels in the foreign and coast
wise trade vessels on the lakes, fishermen, yachts
| men. &C., on the plan OF the royal naval
reserve OF Great Britain, which will be one
OF the strongest supports Of that ma
tion In time Of war. The report says
that our law makers partly responsible for the
decline In our ocean shipping Tor while every other
nation with any claim to Commercial Importance
has strained every nerve to increase its commerce.
the United States has done nothing. At present
there Is great desire In this country share with
others in the foreign trade and II is strongly urged
that the Government should give its aid in resur-
| rectlnS our ocean commercial marine. Our leg1S-
| latOrs should not hesitate moment between the
proposition to abolish the shipping laws so that
vessels could be built abroad for Us by British me-
chanicS, and that to foster the industries OF our
| own country and have our ocean steamers con-
structed In the United States under the super
vision OF naval officer, 80 that the Government
would have vessels OF suitable charact to per-
| form the service required OF them as commerce
deotr0yerS In time OF war.
| REoRaANIzING THE NAVY.
When the Navy is fairly re-established, the ocean
steam marine is given an opportunity Of attaining
its proper level, and an adequate naval res rye Is
formed, there will be reqairei IA reorganization OF
the service. The lays OF Old ia hOned ships have
pissed away ;,, The pot-metal guns OF twenty-five
ordnance will rule the hour w kinds OF ships,
new kinds OF guns, including machine and rapid:
means of ofense aud defense.
"Ihe personnel OF the Navy requires the most
adopted to % infase new lie into it. AS regards pro-
motion the service is at standstill Many Officers
who are ensigns should he 1eutenants, iieutenants
| should be lieulenant-cOmmInders, the latter
] should be commanders and commanders captains.
| A captain should be able to reach the grade OF
| rear-ddmlral by the time he attains tne age of
fifJy-twO years, 50 that the Government could
| obtain some service from him in that grade.
| Under present circumstances 1t often happens
he Is promoted TO the grade OF rear-admlral, hav-
ing attained the age OF sixtytwO years. No Offcer
| should be over forty years OF age when commits
| stoned captain, or thirty-1ve when promoted TO
commander. The officers in the lower grades
| SHOULD be young men In robust health active and
| energetic, to enable them to perform the varied
duties Of their procession, and should not be
| allowed to remain TOO long without promotion
! A law providing that commissioned officers of the
Navy, with good records be allowed to retire from
active duty after thirty years service with promo
tlon to the next htgher grade, would afford great
relief, and help bring about more rapid promotion,
so that In the course OF lew years We might eX-
pect 10 see more hopeful feeling among the
younger onicerS The Older ones have the goal OF
| their amoitiOn in sight, and may hope ultimately
TO reach It, but to the younger ones at the present
| time, the prospect is not cheering. Some or the
| more aspiring are seeking In private employment
the advancement they rail to receive IN the Navy
The British Peace Memorial.
TO BE PRESENTED TO THE PRESIDENT THIS AFTER
NOON.
A deputation Of titled Englishmen will, late this
afternoon, present to the President peace me-
mortal, signed by thirty-seven English peers and
233 members OF the house of commons, and en-
dorsed by the English Trades Union Congress- II
favors the settlement OF International disputes by
arbitration. The deputau0n VIII consist OF the
Right Hon. Sir Lyon Playfair. X. c. B.. NJ. p; Sir
George Campbell X. c. 8 l., NJ. p; Sir John swim
burne Bart, NJ. p; William Randall Cremer, N. p;
Courtney kenney, N. p; Lord Kinnaird, Octavius